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Effective Simple Therapy For Premenstrual Symptoms In Some Women

A dry extract of the agnus castus fruit has been found effective for treatment of women with premenstrual syndrome in whom a causal element cannot be established.

In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial, researchers at the Institute for Health Care and Science, Huttenberg, Germany, compared agnus castus fruit (Vitex agnus castus L extract Ze 440) in 86 women and placebo in 84 women over three menstrual cycles.

Assessment was made of six symptoms among the women -- irritability, mood changes, anger, headache, breast fullness and bloating -- at the beginning of the first cycle and again at the end of the third cycle. Mean age of the women was 36 years, their mean cycle length was 28 days and the mean duration of their menses was 4.5 days.

Women who received agnus castus reported a significant improvement in irritability, mood alteration, anger, headache and breast fullness. However, other symptoms, including bloating, did not respond.

Overall, 52 percent of the women who received the extract reported an improvement compared with 24 percent in the placebo group. Four women in the treatment group and three in the placebo group reported mild adverse side effects but not enough for them to discontinue treatment.

Researchers point out that the causes of premenstrual syndrome have not been clearly elucidated but have been attributed to hormonal change, neurotransmitters, prostaglandins, diet, drugs and lifestyle. Therefore, causal treatment is difficult.

"Although herbal treatments are sometimes misguidedly considered to be completely safe, we did not identify any event related to treatment that could be considered prevalent in this population," the researchers note.

"Agnus castus is a well tolerated and effective treatment for the premenstrual syndrome, the effects being confirmed by physicians and patients alike," researchers conclude. "The effects are detected in most main symptoms of the syndrome. This herbal remedy ought to be considered a therapeutic option in women in whom a causal origin for this syndrome cannot be established."
BMJ 2001;322:134-137.

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